Banking systems employing automatic dispensing terminals are being increasingly employed by banks and other financial service organizations as a means for reducing labor expenses and providing extended banking hours and enhanced convenience to customers.
One of the problems that has been experienced in the use of automatic teller terminals with banknote (cash) dispensing devices is that on occasion dispensed notes are inadvertently left in the dispensing chamber either through the carelessness of the customer-operator or through his failure to understand the operating instructions. When this occurs the next customer using the dispenser will receive money to which he is not entitled and the bank will have no means of confirming a subsequent claim made by the first customer, after he realizes that his money was left in the machine.
An additional problem that has been experienced in the use of these automatic dispensing terminals is that on occasion the system will detect an error, such as a double feed or an improper count during the dispensing operation, and when this occurs the system is confronted with a dilemma. The system can release the dispensed notes to the customer, realizing that the amount may be in error and that the customer will be given more or less cash than was requested, or it can lock the customer access mechanism to prevent release of the cash to the customer, in which case the problem can be remedied only by manual intervention of a bank employee. With the former alternative, the customer may either be short changed or receive a windfall of extra cash, whereupon in either case the bank is detrimentally affected. In the latter situation, the immediate customer requesting the dispensing operation, as well as other customers that may be waiting to use the terminal, are inconvenienced and additional time is required on the part of bank personnel to remedy the situation.